PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. Your Practical Guide

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Mildred Carson
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1 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Your Practical Guide

WELCOME TO AXA Introducing AXA One of the world s largest insurers With more than 50 million customers across the globe, AXA is one of the world s largest financial services providers.

2 WELCOME TO AXA Introducing AXA One of the world s largest insurers With more than 50 million customers across the globe, AXA is one of the world s largest financial services providers. We have a presence in over 50 countries, yet we pride ourselves on having a real understanding of local issues. Care, advice & support - when you need it As one of the world leaders in financial protection and wealth management, we offer a wide range of insurance and financial products to meet your business and personal needs. Our commitment is to deliver our products with consistent care, advice and support as and when you need it. We employ 117,000 people worldwide, and are also one of the thirty largest companies of any kind (Fortune magazine s Global 500 for 2003). AXA provides products that help people to get the best out of life. Our products and services include: Business Insurance, Home and Motor Insurance, Investments, Life Assurance, Retirement Planning, Long Term Care, Asset Management, Medical Insurance and Dental Payment Plans. AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA's website at or by contacting them on

3 Personal Protective Equipment CONTENTS Contents Introduction 4 Hierarchy of Control 4 What is PPE? 5 Selecting Suitable PPE 6 PPE Assessment 7 Competent Person 7 Maintenance, Cleaning, Storage and Replacement 8 Information, Instruction and Training 9 The information contained within this document is intended as a general guide only and is not necessarily comprehensive. You should seek appropriate professional advice when devising any risk assessment or management programme. AXA Insurance will not be liable for loss or damages arising, in contract, tort or otherwise, directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance upon any information contained in this document. 3

4 INTRODUCTION Personal Protective Equipment Introduction As part of the risk assessment programmes to identify hazards and evaluate the risks to health and safety in the workplace, it is vital to take appropriate measures that will reduce those risks to an acceptable level. One such measure is personal protective equipment (PPE) which should be used to protect employees who are exposed to risks that cannot be eliminated or controlled by other means. The priority, however, must always be to minimise the risk itself. PPE should therefore be regarded either as a last resort, or as an interim measure until other means of controlling the risk can be implemented. Hierarchy of Control A health and safety assessment of the workplace will normally identify a hierarchy of possible control measures. Some measures will be essential; others may be relevant only if more effective measures prove impossible to implement. PPE should be relied on as a protection against health and safety risks only after engineering controls and safe systems of work have been found inadequate as a means of controlling the risks. In some circumstances, PPE will be deemed essential and it must then be used or worn by all employees whose health and safety are at risk. 4

5 Personal Protective Equipment WHAT IS PPE? What is PPE? PPE includes all equipment and clothing intended to be worn or used by a person at work, that gives protection against one or more health and safety risks for example: aprons, gloves, safety footwear, safety helmets and high visibility jackets clothing designed to protect against adverse weather conditions protective equipment including eye protection, life jackets, respirators, breathing apparatus and safety harnesses PPE does not include clothing or equipment required under specific regulations such as: Control of Lead at Work Regulations Ionising Radiation Regulations Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations Noise at Work Regulations Construction (Head Protection) Regulations. (For example, hearing protection covered by the Noise at Work Regulations and respiratory equipment covered under other legislation do not fall within PPE. More specific requirements are detailed in these regulations). PPE also excludes: uniforms, ordinary work clothes, clothing for food hygiene purposes cycle helmets, crash helmets and motor cycle leathers for use on public highways. 5

6 SELECTING SUITABLE PPE Personal Protective Equipment Selecting Suitable PPE Where it is necessary to provide PPE, careful thought needs to be given to the type of clothing or equipment that will be suitable. To be effective, PPE must: be appropriate for the particular health or safety risk(s) be appropriate for the working environment meet the ergonomic requirements of the wearer take account of ergonomic requirements and the state of health of the person(s) who may wear it, and to the characteristics of the workstation of each such person be adjustable within its designed range fit the wearer correctly prevent or adequately control the risk to the wearer not increase the overall risk to the workplace be designed and manufactured to an approved standard (e.g. HSE/CE). 6

7 Personal Protective Equipment PPE ASSESSMENT PPE Assessment To help select suitable PPE, a final assessment should be made to ensure: the health and safety risks definitely cannot be controlled by other means the PPE has the correct characteristics to make it effective against these risks the PPE is appropriate for the risk(s) involved, the conditions at the place where exposure to the risk may occur, and the period for which it is worn that any PPE provided is compatible with other PPE that is either in use, or that an employee would be expected to wear simultaneously the PPE itself does not create further risks or add to the risks that have already been identified. A useful exercise is to list the characteristics that an ideal piece of equipment would need to have to minimise the risks to health and safety. The features of any proposed PPE can then be compared against the list. Competent Person All PPE assessments should be undertaken by a competent person who has suitable training and relevant knowledge. This person should also have practical experience of the equipment being used. In most cases assessments can be undertaken in-house but where complicated or highly technical PPE is needed, it is advisable to seek specialist help. 7

8 MAINTENANCE Personal Protective Equipment Maintenance, Cleaning, Storage and Replacement In addition to providing suitable PPE, it is necessary to make arrangements for it to be maintained in an efficient working order and in good repair. This includes correct storage, cleaning and replacement as necessary. This ensures that the PPE is hygienic and otherwise free of risk to health. 8

9 Personal Protective Equipment INFORMATION Information, Instruction and Training Those people who are required to use PPE need to be given information, instruction and training to enable them to understand: the risks to their health and safety which the PPE is designed to reduce the circumstances in which the PPE is to be used what steps need to be taken maintenance, cleaning etc. to ensure that the PPE remains an efficient form of protection that information relating to the use of the PPE is kept available as a source of reference to employees that where appropriate, and at suitable intervals, demonstrations (training) are organised in the wearing of PPE. An employer is also required to ensure the proper use of PPE that the employees who use PPE comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation. 9

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12 ACLD009R (01/06) (10722) AXA Insurance UK plc Registered in England No Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD A member of the AXA Group of Companies. AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. In order to maintain a quality service, telephone calls may be monitored or recorded.

COMMERCIAL COMBINED. Your Policy Terms and Conditions November 2004 Edition

COMMERCIAL COMBINED. Your Policy Terms and Conditions November 2004 Edition COMMERCIAL COMBINED Your Policy Terms and Conditions November 2004 Edition WELCOME TO AXA Introducing AXA One of the world s largest insurers With more than 50 million customers across the globe, AXA is